Hatsushiba Takeda
is introduces as a first year high school student in class 1-7. He and Tomoko meet when they are called to do portraits for missing the assignment during a previous class. He later reappears in Chapter 122 and is shown to be in Tomoko's third year class. Overview Hatsushiba's past and character details remain unknown as he has only appeared briefly twice in the manga early on and did not return for nearly 80 chapters. He appears once in the anime. He is introduced in Chapter 9 as a first-year student who happened to skip art class just like Tomoko. They are both called into the office to make up a portrait assignment. Ironically, he shows disinterest in completing the portrait despite drawing manga as part of the school's Manga Club. He only shows up after school to complete the portrait to avoid failing grade for the assignment. After this event, he is not seen again until the next year in Chapter 46, when he runs into Tomoko and Kotomi at the library. However, his artwork is seen in Chapter 21 and the corresponding Episode 11. He signs his work "Shiba Masa" (芝雅 "Elegant Shiba"). He checks out some books and leaves quickly, without saying much to ether Kotomi or Tomoko. He reappears Chapter 131 when he sits on a bench in the amusement park during a class trip and begins drawing other students. He recognizes Tomoko as the girl he was suppose to draw in the assignment. He notes that at the time he lacked confidence in his skills and defaulted to drawing a stereotype girl. This time, he decides to draw Tomoko then other students more accurately. His reappearance in Chapter 163 reveals that he achieved a perfect score on a Health Exam that included sexuality. WataMote Wiki will leave it at that. Personality Hatsushiba is a very apathetic individual. The times he has interacted with Tomoko, he has shown indifference and impatience toward her. This indifference is also shown toward Kotomi and even his art teacher. Additionally, this attitude seeps into other areas of his life, such as his art class and club activities. The only reason he shows up to do his after school portrait is to not get a bad mark. He does the bare minimum by drawing the easiest face he can and only looks at Tomoko to match the hair and a few other details. In his manga club, he again does only the bare minimum by drawing the easiest face he can when his club mate asks him to draw the background characters. Much later, he admits he lacked the confidence in his drawing skills. Appearance Hatsushiba is the only current high school student to be on the chubbier side. Aside from this, he has other distinguishing features such as his big nose, small eyes, and fuller face. ''Anime'' *Season 1: Episode 2, 11 ''Manga'' *Volume 1: Chapter 9 *Volume 3: Chapter 21 *Volume 6: Chapter 48 *Volume 12: Chapters 120, 122 *Volume 14: Chapter 131 *Volume 15: Chapter 150 *TBA: Chapter 163, 164 (Strikethrough episodes or chapters indicate the character was mentioned but did not make a physical appearance) Relationships Tomoko Kuroki Hatsushiba and Tomoko are considered mere acquaintances. He is rather indifferent toward her and even inconsiderate. He puts his club activities above Tomoko’s need to use him as a model to finish her portrait. He also does not go out of his way to be socially polite toward her, such as refusing to laugh when there was a slightly awkward exchange between them. His inconsiderateness extends into the next year as well when he brushes her off again claiming to be busy. For her part, Tomoko’s feelings toward him start off very negatively and then become more positive. Ironically, she sees him as someone who has no friends and plays video games all day. She is also disgusted by his heavier build and unfriendly demeanor. This all changes when she sees his idealized portrait of her, and she considers being friends with him. She even tries to speak to him when she sees him again the next year. The following year, during the trip to the amusement park, he secretly draws her remembering he could not do so two years previously. Kotomi Komiyama Kotomi and Hatsushiba are classmates during their second year. They only interact once at the library when he attempts to check out twice the maximum allowable books. At first, she is strict and adheres to the rules, making no exceptions for him, indicating that they are not friends. Kotomi only relents when she thinks that by being nice to him, it will make Tomoko suffer. Kotomi also thinks that Hatsushiba is ugly, thereby making him an invalid candidate as a possible romantic interest or even a friend. In turn, Hatsushiba does not even show gratitude toward Kotomi for allowing him to borrow the extra books, nor does he change his attitude when Kotomi shows friendliness toward him by calling him "Hatsushiba-kun." Trivia *He is in the Manga Club, as seen in Chapter 9 where he is drawing background characters for some unknown person. *His last name is revealed in Chapter 9. *He signs his work "Shiba Masa" (芝雅 "Elegant Shiba"). 芝 (shiba) means "turf/lawn," and WataMote Wikia will leave it at that. *He shares his last name with Kiyoshi Hatsushiba who played third and first base for many years for the Chiba Lotte Marines. Image gallery c9_hatsushiba.jpg|Hatsushiba's manga counterpart Hatsushiba Painting c21.png|"Shiba Masa" art in the manga. Hatsushiba Painting E11.png|"Shiba Masa" painting in the anime. C131 Tomoko Drawn.png|His more accurate drawing of Tomoko. C131 Mako and Minami.png|Hatsushiba takes private revenge for Minami's insults. Tomoko Drawn.png|Hatsushiba's Drawing of "Tomoko" in Chapter 9. Tomoko Manga Babe E2.png|Version from Episode 11. Navigation Category:Class 3-5 Category:Class 1-7 Category:Characters Category:Male Category:Minor characters